Thursday, November 5, 2015

Just returned from Houston. I thought it was FABULOUS! Yes there were disappointments. However, overall I really enjoyed it. Since I often sit and watch people look, the art quilts seem to intrigue more people for a longer time. I think that was because it is new to most + they understand traditional quilts. Sharon Shamber was not there. Even though I am an art quilter, I felt this loss. Her work sets the standard.

Much better than last year except that a few categories were combined. Small painted and large painted were combine to Painted Quilts. This was what happened in many categories. I know they used to have large and small because I had a painted quilt in the small category a couple of years ago. There also used to be a rule about only one quilt per person in a single category. When someone like Hollis has two quilts in a category, it really limits the expectations of all the others. YES, she is someone I admire for her subject matter, composition, painting + quilting. However, IF she takes 2 of the 3 prizes, what are the chances for anyone else? I am very disappointed that she used other peoples photos for both of her award winning quilts

The BIG problem with Houston this year was the construction. What a mess! Photos on this post.

I took LOTS of photos of the exhibits. However, some seem to have disappeared. I had a glitch on my first down load when my batteries went dead. When I tried the next day, the message said, "No new photos". Eventually I found a way to find a few. Please remember this when I start posting by category. I did photograph every quilt in most art quilt categories. Some I can not find.

Because I am hungry for some of this fabulous sea food, 2 quilts in the "Whats for Dinner" exhibit by Frances Holliday Alford.

I especially like this one. Guess someone else did too because it was sold when I first saw it. The dimensionality of this is amazing.

The following quilts by Deborah Langsam were part of The Moda Exhibition. I really thought these were WONDERFUL! ENJOY. Sorry these do not show up as well in my photos as in person. All of the close ups from the shoes which made up the feet were too bleary to show. It was impossible to count how many photos were in each quilt. ~~ LOTS!

I think this is the correct view. Not sure, so I included the one below.

Now for the CONSTRUCTION + WEATHER on Saturday. Nothing to do in this down pour. There was an ART-CRAFT exhibit set up on the Green. The path between the booths looked like a river. It was running so fast and furious it had some 'sea' foam at the front. Luckily, I had a room at the Hilton so I could just wheel over on one of the sky ramp connections. This is the only reason I stay there. As far as I know, no other hotel even has accessible buses.

Mess Over View 1

Mess Over View 2

Mess Over View 3

Mess Over View 4

Mess Over View 5

Construction in other parts near my hotel.

Another building under construction.

Love the palms on top of this hotel.

Still it was very difficult trying to walk on this side walk.

Long View of Construction

Morning View going to Festival.

Really really grateful for the sky bridges.

PS. PLEASE count all the people you see working on the construction sites. For me, it was hard to find more than 3 on any single site. Hope it is finished by next year.